Guy wire protector



2 Sheets-Sheefl Filed June 10, 1960 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS July 28, 1964 I cs. c. PRICE 3,142,365

GUY WIRE PROTECTOR Filed June 10, 1360 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR George C. Price ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,142,365 GUY WIRE PRUTECTOR George Price, Battle Creek Township, Calhoun County, Mich, assignor to (Pliver Electrical Manufacturing Company, Battle Creek, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 10, 1960, Ser. No. 35,261 8 Claims. (Cl. 189-32) This invention relates to a novel means of attachment for a guy Wire protector, and it more particularly relates to such novel means of attachment for the upper end of a guy wire protector.

Guy wire protectors in the form of sleeves are attached to guy wire assemblies to make them more visible to ground trafiic. These protectors are connected to the wires by various means which generally utilize hardware such as C-clamps or U-bolts. Attempts have also been made to shape the upper end of the protector itself to form a means of connecting it to the guy wire, but these types of protectors have not come into widespread use because they are not as rugged or easy to fabricate as might be desired as well as being subject to damage and dislocation during transportation and use.

An object of this invention is to provide a guy wire protector incorporating an attachment means upon its upper end which is simple and economical to fabricate, rugged and durable in structure, and dependable and secure in operation.

In accordance with this invention a lateral slot is cut through the side of the upper end of a guy wire protector having a substantially convex outer surface, and portions of the protector above and below this slot are intended to provide a longitudinal indented channel above the slot and a longitudinal protruding channel below the slot. These channels are positioned in line with each other to permit the guy wire to pass smoothly from within the protruding channel through the slot and out over the extreme upper end of the protector within the indented channel. This firmly locks the upper end of the protector to the wire without the necessity of utilizing any attached hardware.

A most easily fabricated form of this top attachment may be provided by forming a depression extending above and below the slot which encompasses the indented channel and a pair of substantially parallel longitudinal indentations disposed along both sides of the protruding channel. Furthermore, a tab may extend from one of the sides of the slot across it. This tab is bent out of the way of the wire while the upper end of the protector is being hooked about it, and it is then bent back across the slot to prevent the protector from coming loose from the Wire under arduous service conditions. This end of this tab may also extend across the wire in the form of a clamp which is shaped similarly to the protruding channel to secure the protector against dislocation from the wire even under the most arduous service conditions.

Novel features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:

FIGS. 1-4 are side views in elevation of one embodiment of this invention in the successive positions that it assumes when it is attached to a guy wire;

FIG. 5 is a side view in elevation of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4;

FIG. 6 is an inside view in elevation of one of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 14;

FIGS. 7-8 are cross-sectional views taken through FIG. 6 along the lines 7-7 and 8-8;

FIG. 9 is a side view in elevation at another embodiment of this invention;

3,142,365 Patented July 28, 1964 FIG. 10 is an inside View in elevation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 9;

FIGS. 11 and 12 are cross-sectional views taken through FIG. 3 along the lines 11-41 and 12-12; and

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the upper portion of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4.

FIGS. 1-4 shows the various positions that a sleeve it) assumes in being attached to a guy wire 12 in forming the completed guy wire assembly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In FIG. 1 the upper end of sleeve 10 is hooked about wire 12 which passes through lateral slot 14 extending, as shown in FIG. 6, through the side edge of sleeve Iii. In FIG. 1, tab 16 is bent upwardly as is also shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 to leave slot 14 open for hooking about guy wire 12. In actual practice, sleeve 10 is not extended to the absolutely horizontal position shown in FIG. 1, but it is illustrated in that manner for clarity of illustration. After slot 14 is hooked about guy wire 12, sleeve iii is rotated downwardly toward wire 12 through the relative positions shown in FIG. 2 into longitudinal contact with it as shown in FIG. 3. Guy wire 12 rests within longitudinal indented channel 32 which is formed in the convex surface 18 of sleeve 1% above slot 14, and the lower portion of guy wire 12 rests in contact within longitudinal protruding channel 34 below slot 14. The lower portion of sleeve 10 is then secured to the lower portion of guy wire assembly 20 by a clamping means 22 which is, for example, of the type described in copending application for US. Letters S. N. 797,442 filed March 5, 1959 and now abandoned. Clamping means 22 includes, for example, a cap screw 24 and a bar 26 which is secured into contact with either the anchor rod 28 as shown in FIG. 3, or with guy wire 12. These optional means of attachment are facilitated by the dual rows of apertures 30 and 31 shown in FIGS. 6 and 30a and 31a shown in FIG. 10.

The upper convex portion of sleeve 10 above slot 14- includes longitudinal indented channel 32 for receiving and confining the upper end of guy wire 12, and the lower portion of sleeve 10 includes longitudinal protruding channel 34 for receiving and confining the portion of guy wire 12 enclosed within sleeve 10. Indented channel 32 and protruding channel 34 are, for example, easily fabricated by forming a depression 33, shown in FIG. 13, within the convex portion of the sleeve extending above and below slot 14. Depression 33 encompasses indented channel 32 and a pair of substantially parallel longitudinal indentations 36 on both sides of protruding channel 34. Indentations 36 also dispose the terminal end 38 of protuberance 34 disposed between them down into alignment with upper indentation 32. This causes guy wire 10 to pass through slot 14 into smooth contact with indentation 32 and protuberance 34 which satisfactorily completes the installation. However, for arduous service conditions after alignment and contact are accomplished, tab 16 is bent down into contact with wire 12 with portion 4% extending parallel to wire 12 bent into proximity to the opposite side of groove 14, and its hooked portion 42 extending across guy wire 12 bent down and over guy wire 12. The edges of indentation 32 and end 38 of protuberance 34 are rounded to prevent rubbing the wire or its protective coating of plated metal. FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate the position of guy wire 12 when it is confined within protector 10 and in contact Within protuberance 34 and indentation 32. The upper portion of guy wire sleeve 10 is, accordingly, fastened to guy wire 12 without requiring any hardware by utilizing only the material provided by the sleeve itself.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show another sleeve 10a which illustrates an embodiment of this invention having two features slightly different from those shown in FIGS. 1-9. However, it is similar in structure and mode of attachsnags-res ment in all other respects. For simplicity only those features which are different are specifically discussed.

Tab 16a is simpler than tab 16, and it includes only a portion disposed in line with an installed wire 12a (not shown). It merely prevents a guy wire 12a (not shown) from being laterally displaced from indentation 32a and protuberance 34a without the supplemental security of a hooked portion such as 44 shown in FIG. 5. In all but most severe types of service, this form of confinement is satisfactory. Also in FIGS. 9 and 10 indentations 36a forming protuberance 34a run substantially the entire length of sleeve 10a for further stiffening sleeve 10a to protect it from natural forces as well as small boys wielding baseball bats as well as securely confining an installed wire.

What is claimed is:

1. An upper fastening means for a guy wire comprising an elongated sleeve having a substantially convex outer surface, a lateral slot extending from a central area of the material which forms the upper portion of said sleeve through an edge of said sleeve to permit said upper portion of the said sleeve to be centrally hooked about said guy wire which passes from within the portion of said sleeve below said slot out over the portion of said sleeve above said slot, longitudinal indented and protruding channels being formed in said sleeve respectively above and below said slot, said channels being disposed substantially in line with each other for smoothly guiding said guy wire through said lateral slot and for confining it therewithin said channels being provided with a depression extending above and below said slot, and said depression encompassing said indented channel and substantially parallel longitudinally indentations disposed along both sides of said protruding channel.

2. A protector as set forth in claim 1 wherein said indentations run substantially the entire length of said sleeve to help stiffen it.

3. A protector as set forth in claim 1 wherein a tab of the material forming said protector extends across said slot for confining said guy wire therewithin, said tab being of limited area to facilitate its bending away from said slot and subsequent rebending across it for confining said guy wire after it is hooked within said slot, said tab including a portion extending substantially parallel to said guy wire and another portion extending across said guy wire, said portion extending across said guy wire being similar in form to said longitudinal protruding channel in said sleeve to permit it to be simultaneously shaped with it in the form of a clamp for confining said guy wire when said tab is bent into line with said sleeve.

4. A protector as set forth in claim 3 wherein said portion of said tab extending across said slot is connected to the portion of said sleeve above said slot disposed in line with one of said indentations.

5. An upper fastening means for a guy wire protector comprising an elongated sleeve having a substantially convex outer surface, a lateral slot extending from an area of the material which forms the upper part of said sleeve through an edge of said sleeve to permit said upper portion of said sleeve to be centrally hooked about said guy wire which passes from within the portion of said sleeve below said slot, an upper longitudinal channel in said sleeve above said slot indented toward the center of curvature of said sleeve, a lower longitudinal channel in said sleeve below said slot protruding away from said center of curvature of said sleeve, said channels being disposed adjacent said slot and substantially in line with each other for smoothly guiding said guy wire through said lateral slot and for confining it therewithin and said slot extending across the width of said channels.

6. A protector as set forth in claim 5 wherein the edge of said protruding channel adjoining said lateral slot is flared to eliminate any sharp edges which might rub upon said guy wire.

7. A protector as set forth in claim 5 wherein a tab of the material integrally forming said protector extends across said slot for confining said guy wire therewithin, and said tab being of limited area to facilitate its bending away from said slot and subsequent rebending across it for confining said guy wire after it is hooked within said slot.

8. A protector as set forth in claim 5 wherein said tab includes a portion extending substantially parallel to said guy wire and another portion extending across said guy wire, and said portion extending across said guy wire being shaped in the form of a hook for clamping about said guy wire when said tab is bent into line with said sleeve.

Lemont Apr. 9, 1935 Miller Sept. 22, 1936 'Altesting Officer UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, 3, 142,365 July 28, 1964 George C. Price It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should 'read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 33, for "intended" read indented column 2, line 7, for "shows" read show column 4, line 36, for the claim reference numeral "5" read 7 Signed and sealed this 5th day of January 1965.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents ERNEST W. SWIDER 

1. AN UPPER FASTENING MEANS FOR A GUY WIRE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SLEEVE HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CONVEX OUTER SURFACE, A LATERAL SLOT EXTENDING FROM A CENTRAL AREA OF THE MATERIAL WHICH FORMS THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID SLEEVE THROUGH AN EDGE OF SAID SLEEVE TO PERMIT SAID UPPER PORTION OF THE SAID SLEEVE TO BE CENTRALLY HOOKED ABOUT SAID GUY WIRE WHICH PASSES FROM WITHIN THE PORTION OF SAID SLEEVE BELOW SAID SLOT OUT OVER THE PORTION OF SAID SLEEVE ABOVE SAID SLOT, LONGITUDINAL INDENTED AND PROTRUDING CHANNELS BEING FORMED IN SAID SLEEVE RESPECTIVELY ABOVE AND BELOW SAID SLOT, SAID CHANNELS BEING DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY IN LINE WITH EACH OTHER FOR SMOOTHLY GUIDING SAID GUY WIRE THROUGH SAID LATERAL SLOT AND FOR CONFINING IT THEREWITHIN SAID CHANNELS BEING PROVIDED WITH A DEPRESSION EXTENDING ABOVE AND BELOW SAID SLOT, AND SAID DEPRESSION ENCOMPASSING SAID INDENTED CHANNEL AND SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL LONGITUDINALLY INDENTATIONS DISPOSED ALONG BOTH SIDES OF SAID PROTRUDING CHANNEL. 